Taco Salad Dip Recipe
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Are any of you football fans? I think it’s football season, right? Please don’t throw tomatoes at me. They’ll only hit the computer screen. It’s just not worth it… I’ll have you know, I went to a football game in high school (once). I was cheering for effort and sometimes for the wrong team. I don’t really want to talk about it.
You can take this Taco salad dip to any party really. It’s just an all-around-amazing dip; sort of like the 7-layer dip, but it holds it’s own. My family members gobbled it up.
This is yet another recipe from DeAnna Pavlenko who shared her Healthier Carrot Cake recipe a few months back. DeAnna, thank you so much for sharing your amazing food with the rest of us!
Taco Salad Dip Ingredients:
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix (we bought Original Taco by McCormick)
1/4 cup water
1 lb lean ground beef (I purchased 7% fat)
1 (8oz) package cream cheese
1 cup cottage cheese (any size curd)
1 cup salsa (we used our roasted salsa, but you can use any salsa)
2 cups (8 oz) finely shredded medium cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded green lettuce such as iceberg
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
1 avocado, diced, optional
Cilantro for garnish, optional
Taco Chips (or any kind of firm tortillas) to serve
How to make Taco Salad Dip:
1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef (No need to add oil). Drain with a paper-towel if there is excess liquid. My 7% beef didn’t have any extra juices to drain.
2. Combine 1 packet of taco seasoning mix with 1/4 cup water. Once the beef is fully cooked, stir the taco seasoning mix into the beef and remove from heat to cool down.
3. In the bowl of a food processor (we are using the Cuisinart Prep 11-Cup Food Processor, blend 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 package cream cheese and 1 cup salsa until well combined and smooth.
I could just dip my chip right in there.
4. Spread beef into the bottom of a 9×13-inch glass baking pan, or into individual glass ramekins if you want to get fancy, or if you have time to kill. Top the meat with the blended cream cheese mixture.
5. Sprinkle evenly with finely grated cheese. Top with sliced lettuce, diced tomatoes, avocado and cilantro (if using). If you aren’t serving right away, you might squeeze some lime juice over your avocado to keep it from browning, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve (if you have the will power not to eat it right away).
Serve with Taco chips; naturally. These are the organic chips from Costco. They are so good. My husband has to pull the bag away from me when I finish my dip because I just keep eating the chips (true story). :-O
Taco Salad Dip Recipe

Ingredients
- 1 package Taco Seasoning Mix, we bought Original Taco by McCormick
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 lb lean ground beef, I purchased 7% fat
- 1 8oz package cream cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese, any size curd
- 1 cup salsa, we used our roasted salsa, but you can use any salsa
- 2 cups 8 oz finely shredded medium cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
- 1 avocado, diced, optional
- Cilantro for garnish, optional
- Taco Chips, or any kind of firm tortillas to serve
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef (No need to add oil). Drain with a paper-towel if there is excess liquid. My lean 7% beef didn't have any extra juices to drain.
- Combine 1 packet of taco seasoning mix with 1/4 cup water. Once the beef is fully cooked, stir the taco seasoning mix into the beef and remove from heat to cool down.
- In the bowl of a food processor, blend 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 package cream cheese and 1 cup salsa until well combined and smooth.
- Spread beef into the bottom of a 9x13-inch glass baking pan, or into individual glass ramekins. Top the meat with the blended cream cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle evenly with finely grated cheese. Top with sliced lettuce, diced tomatoes, avocado and cilantro (if using). If you aren't serving right away, you might squeeze some lime juice over your avocado to keep it from browning, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with Taco chips; naturally.
Hi Natasha. I was wondering what dressing do u use when u make taco salad?
Hi Olga, I haven’t made a taco salad in a while, but ranch is often used.
Do you make your own roasted salsa? If not what brand do you use. (:
Hi Lisa, we use our own roasted salsa but you can use any brand too.
Is it spicy ?
Dana, this dip is normally not spicy but you can control the spiciness by the kind of salsa will be added.
This recipe is sooooo good!!! I made it once to a youth party and now I’m being asked to make it again and again!!! So easy to make also!
I’m happy to hear that everyone loves the recipe! Thanks for sharing Svetlana!
Excellent dip!
I’m glad to enjoyed it Monica! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I was not a big cream cheese lover, but decided to make this dip. its simply delicious. my hubby and teenage daughter ( who is very picky when it comes to home made food) really liked it. thanks Natasha !
I’m so happy you and your family liked it! Thanks for sharing that with us 🙂
Hi, can I make this a day before? Will it hold up?
Yes it will hold up, but I would recommend garnishing with tomatoes, cilantro and avocado the same day you are serving this so they stay vibrant and fresh.
Can I use romaine lettuce? Or is it gonna less tasty ?
Romaine lettuce doesn’t have that crisp texture and is more likely to wilt so I’d recommend the other one.
Made this dish for the Super Bowl. What a great hit it was 🙂 Thank you for sharing all of your delicious recipes 🙂
Thank you Tanya for the great review and you are welcome :).
ahh this is such a tasty mouth watering taco salad dip recipe.. i love trying yor recipes natasha
I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Thanks for the great review! 🙂
I made this tonight! It was good.. We enjoyed it! Thanks!
Music to my ears. I love easy recipes like this that only look like they took alot of time 😉
looks yummie and kinda healthy:) ill try making it tonight:) thank you
Let me know how it turns out :).
Natasha!!
Thanks for sharing your webside.
Can your you share recepies with more organic foods acceptable to daily life excluding monsato corporation foods.
thank you
You could totally sub almost any ingredient with the organic version. I’ve been buying more and more organic stuff so you’ll probably see it more and more in the recipes to come 🙂 Thanks for the suggestion!
Hello, Natasha I love your recipes. Can I substitute the beef for shredded Chicken?
You can but it might be a little harder to dip, but it would be great if you shredded it well enough 😉
I always think of summer when I see this salad AND it’s summer her so it’s a big win because I’m making this tomorrow! 🙂
enjoy it Maureen! 🙂 How nice that it’s still summer where you are!
so does the lettuce go here or no?? u didnt put it in the directions.. and if it does, where does it go? and also what kinda lettuce,iceberg?
Yes, iceberg. I thought I fixed that, but maybe I didn’t save the draft. Anyway, sorry about that. Yes, the lettuce goes in just before the tomatoes 🙂
what organic chips are you talking about?? do you have a picture??
This looks AMAZING!! I really want to make it this weekend.
I love anything taco – salad, dips, tacos.:) Past weekend I made similar dip but vegetarian one and with Greek yoghurt. And I’m a huge fan of those organic tortilla chips in a huge bag from Costco too.;)
Oh I bet Greek yogurt would be a great substitute for some of the cream cheese in this recipe!
I don’t get football either, but I do get this dip! looks yummy! 🙂
Yes!! I’m not alone. Thank you! lol
Do you have a 7 layer dip? cuz my mother in law makes it sometimes, but she doesnt know the exact recipe! lol. she makes it “na glaz”! 🙂 and so the other time she made it, i totally didnt like it lol.
I do but I haven’t posted it yet 🙂 I’ll add it to the list.
Yes! Go SEAHAWKS!!! 🙂
Will be trying this recipe. Thank You!
I used to be a Seattle Sonics fan back when we lived in Seattle 😉
Looks Good!
Why thank you 🙂
Delicious. Thank you and have a great weekend.
Thanks Liz! You have a happy weekend too!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe, Natasha. I will have to try it one day. Do you put shredded lettuce together with tomatoes and avocados? Didn’t see in the directions. I love avocado so this definitely a keeper.
Lori
Lettuce, then tomatoes, then avocados and cilantro if you are using it 🙂